Insert pressure controller

ABSTRACT

AN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF A WEAR DISC IN A STUFFER BOX CRIMPER. THE APPARATUS MAINTAINS A BEARING SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH OUTER ANNULAR LATERAL-PORTIONS OF A PAIR OF CRIMPING ROLLS, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A DISC MEMBER FORMED WITH A BEARING SURFACE THEREON, MEANS FOR URGING SAID MEMBER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LATERAL-PORTIONS OF THE ROLLS, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING THE DISC MEMBER ABOUT AN AXIS RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE NIP OF THE ROLLS.

Nov. 9, 1971 p, M.' EI'AL 3,618,183

INSERT PRESSURE CONTROLLER Filed Feb. 11, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g 0 i? v 1mm m i '0 N v: N

.wvzwrons m PAUL M. FUNK JOHN R. BAUER ATTORNEY N69. 9, 1971 P. M. FUNK ETAL 3,618,183

INSERT PRESSURE CONTROLLER Filed Feb. 11, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

INVENTORS PAUL M. FUNK JOHN R. BAUER BY91M.WO2

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,618,183 INSERT PRESSURE CONTROLLER Paul M. Funk and John R. Bauer, Decatur, Ala., assignors to Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo. Filed Feb. 11, 1970, Ser. No. 10,532 Int. Cl. D02g 1/12 U.S. Cl. 28--1.6 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for holding and adjusting the position of a Wear disc in a stuifer box crimper. The apparatus maintains a bearing surface in contact with outer annular lateral-portions of a pair of crimping rolls, said apparatus including a disc member formed with a bearing surface thereon, means for urging said member into engagement with the lateral-portions of the rolls, and means for rotating the disc member about an axis running parallel to the nip of the rolls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention The present invention relates to a novel bearing element in an apparatus for crimping a moving textile tow. More particularly, the instant invention relates to an apparatus for maintaining and positioning a bearing surface with respect to a tow crimping apparatus of the type wherein the tow is crimped by a pair of cooperating crimping rolls mounted on parallel drive shafts to define a nip and a crimping chamber.

(2) Description of the prior art A wide range of crimping apparatus and accessory elements for filamentary materials in the art have been developed with varying degrees of success. With the advance in technology of new fibers there is a concurrent advance in devices for rendering such fiber material useful. New types of synthetic filamentary materials often present different processing problems as conventional equipment does not always answer. From time to time new auxiliary elements are employed to facilitate and streamline the operation and to improve the products made thereby.

In general, a conventional crimping apparatus comprises a pair of cylindrical, parallel rolls. which coact to grip and feed tow into a crimping chamber wherein one or more clapper bars are attached to restrict the passage of filamentary materials passing therethrough. In effect, egress is restricted by the chamber geometry and the advancing filamentary material is placed under high compression at the nip of the crimper rolls. The crimped tow as it passes through the crimper rolls into the chamber assumes a more or less zig-zag configuration in a compact heap within the chamber, the heap being thoroughly compressed in its passage through said chamber and being withdrawn from the chamber at a proportionate rate tothe in-feed of the crimper rolls.

It is sometimes found that some fibrous materials are crimped in a non-uniform fashion with conventional crimpers, viz, there are often present sections of unduly damaged portions, uneven crimp frequency or the crimp imparted by the crimping device is not permanent. It has been known that in attempting to crimp moving textile filaments that servere hanging of the tow on the blades gives rise to skips and jamming of the device. Some of this hanging up of the tow is due to lateral piling up the filament at or proximate the nip. In effect tow is unevenly presented or at least not crimped to the same degree as adjacent sections. The net effect results in non-uniformity which presents problems in the subsequent processing,

ice

such as cutting, textile processing, dyeing and finishing.

The device embodying the invention herein is an improvement in the crimping art, basically in a device for positioning and maintaining bearing surfaces in contact with outer annular lateral-portions of a pair of crimping rolls.

Generally, inserts or bearing surface elements associated with tow crimping devices are set into position by dropping them into a slot and maintaining them in align-.

ment by a number of mechanical means into engagement with a pair of crimping rolls at the nip thereof. The function of these inserts is to prevent the tow from leaving the nip of the rolls. Conventional disc elements are quickly out upon their hearing face forming a groove in the direction of tow travel. Often these disc elements rotate slightly causing another groove and often damage to the passing tow. Thus, the misaligned groove often breaks the filaments in the tow and may also cause disarrangement of the tow filament edges themselves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In spite of the advances made in the crimping art with respect to novel rolls and crimping chambers there has been a growing need to have uniformity of filamentary materials free of any distored sections.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an apparatus for aiding in producing uniformly crimped tow over that obtained by employing conventional crimper equipment without said apparatus. Another object of this invention is to providethe art with an accessory element having a bearing surface for a crimper affording ease of replacement and requiring a minimum of maintenance for commercial use, especially under high speed applications. Still another object of this invention is to afford a bearing element offering uniform pressure during crimping operation. Other objects will be apparent from the description given hereinafter.

In accordance with this invention, an apparatus for maintaining and positioning a bearing surface in contact with outer annular lateral-portions of a pair of crimping rolls is described comprising a disc member formed with a bearing surface thereon, means for urging said member into engagement with lateral-portions of the crimping rolls, the bearing surface facing said rolls, and means for rotating the disc members about an axis running parallel to the nip of the rolls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is shown by the attached drawing.

FIG. 1 is a view of a conventional crimping apparatus along with our invention, and

FIG. 2 is a prospective view of a novel embodiment of our invention.

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing wherein like character and reference numerals represents like parts and, in particular, to FIG. 1, wherein our novel apparatus is employed with a conventional crimper. The drawing of a tow 10 is guided through guide rolls 15 and 16 to a pair of cooperating crimping rolls 11 and 12 mounted on shafts 13 and 14, respectively. The rolls 11 and 12 are urged together to form a nip which moves in the direction indicated by the arrows. In advancing the tow 10, the crimping rolls 11 and 12 are biased in tow gripping relationship by conventional means (not shown). The crimping rolls 11 and 12 approach a pair of doctor blades 17 and 18 at close clearance.

It is to be further noted that a pair of opposing side plates 19 and 2.0 are secured to the doctor blades 17 and 3 18. The plates 19 and 20 and the blades 17 and 18 define an oblong opening, a crimping chamber 24 through which the tow passes. A clapper bar 22 is pivotally mounted in one of the doctor blades and positioned within the crimping chamber 24. Generally, the clapper bar 22 is designed to have a width slightly less than the blade to which it is mounted to permit the free pivotal movement thereof. A moveable head member 27 is positioned beneath the clapper bar 22 and is engaged therewith to urge said bar within the chamber 24.

With reference to this invention it is to be pointed out that any lateral egress of the tow from between the nip of the rolls 11 and 12 and the entrance of the chamber 24 is prevented by the presence of disc members 25 and 25'. The disc members 25 and 25' are in contact at the nip of the rolls 1'1 and 12 and on opposing sides thereof. The structural nature of our invention will be better understood by referring to FIG. 2 wherein a device for maintaining and positioning the disc members is shown in detail. The apparatus includes the disc member 25 formed with a bearing surface 44 thereon, the bearing surface 44 being positioned to face the crimping rolls 11 and 12. A housing 33 is provided with a bore 35 and a cavity 38 through which pass a shaft 34, the shaft 34 being rotatably and slidably mounted therein. Keyed to one end of the shaft 34 is disc member 25. A backing plate 31 and a resilient plunger disc 30 are secured to the opposite end of the shaft 34; the disc 30 being sealingly situated within the cavity 38. A source of compressed gas 43 with an accompanying conduit 42 connects the source 43 and empties into cavity 38. A duct 45 communicating with cavity 38 is provided for relieving pressure built up upon movement of plunger disc 30 within the cavity. In effect, the plunger disc 30 and, thus, the disc member 25 are urged into contact with the crimping rolls when they are acti vated.

The disc member is arranged to rotate about an axis running parallel to the nip of the crimping rolls. This is accomplished by a first gear 41 formed on shaft 34 and slidably connected thereto, the gear 41 having a limited movement within an opening 46 toward and away from the disc member 25. A second gear 40 is rotatably mounted within the housing and positioned to be in mesh with the first gear 41. A portion of a rod 39 connected to second gear 40 projects from the housing 33 so that it may be provided with any conventional knob (not shown) for gripping and turning said gears to correspondingly rotate the disc member 25. With reference to FIG. 3, a frontal view of FIG. 1, the disc members 25 and 25' are shown in contact at the nip of rolls 11 and 12 and on opposing sides thereof. The housing 33 is secured by nut 47 to a frame 46 of the crimping apparatus.

It is further to be noted that a coil spring 37 is positioned encircling a portion of shaft 34 within cavity 38 between an inwardly projecting section of the cavity and a backing plate 31. By means of spring 37 the plunger disc 30 is urged away from the nip of the crimping rolls 11 and 12 when releasing the gas pressure within the chamber 38.

As aforedescribed a constant pressure is maintained against the plunger portion. 30 by means of airpressure comprising an air pressure source 43 connected to conduit 42 and emptying into the entrance portion of annular opening 38. It is also possible that a fluid may be employed in place of the air.

In operation an insert 25 with a bearing surface 44 coupled therewith is secured to shaft 34 to present said bearing surface adjacent the nip of the crimping rolls 11 and 12 so that said bearing surface is situated in contact with the outer annular lateral-portion thereof. The insert may be readily rotated via of the afore-described turning knob and associated gears 40 and 41 to present a fresh surface adjacent the nip since prolonged use of a particular insert results in consuming by friction of the surface resulting in striated inserts, an unfavorable condition. By rotating the insert a few degrees a fresh surface is brought into contact adjacent to the nip of the rolls. Aside from the advantage of rotating the insert the instant invention aifords ease of replacement of a bearing surface as well as a novel arrangement for maintaining a uniform lateral pressure and support during the crimping operation.

While the objects and advantages of the apparatus of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that the apparatus may be subjected to slight changes and modifications which are common knowledge to the art without departing from the principles and scope of the invention involved.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for maintaining and positioning a bearing surface in contact with outer annular lateral portions of a pair of crimping rolls which comprises:

(a) a disc member formed with a bearing surface thereon, said surface facing the crimping rolls;

(b) a housing having a bore therethrough, said housing formed with a cavity axially communicating with the bore;

(c) a shaft rotatably and slidably mounted within the bore, a section thereof extending externally therefrom and being coupled to the disc member for conjoint movement therewith;

(d) a plunger attached to the opposite end of said shaft, said plunger being slidably mounted within the cavity of said housing;

(e) means for rotating the disc member axially'with respect to the shaft;

(f) a source of compressed gas, and

(g) a conduit connecting the source of compressed gas and emptying into the cavity whereby the plunger and, thus, the disc member may be urged into engagement with the crimping rolls.

2. An apparatus asrecited in claim 1 wherein the disc rotating member means comprises a first gear formed on the shaft and a second gear rotatably mounted in the housing and in mesh with the first gear, said second gear having a terminal portion protruding from the housing so that the terminal portion may be easily gripped and turned whereby the first gear and disc member are rotated accordingly about an axis running parallel to the nip of the crimping rolls.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 including a coil springpositioned on said shaft and within the cavity, said spring situated between an inwardly projecting portion of the cavity and said plunger for resiliently urging the plunger away from the nip of the crimping rolls upon releasing the gas pressure from the cavity.

'Referenc es Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS K. RIM'RODT, Primary Examiner 

